How secure is a "real" Administrator account?

[Ray]

I've come across a number of sites describing how to set up a "real"
Administrator account in Vista. Is such an account any less secure
than an administrator account in Win 2000?

 

[Richard G. Harper]

Any account with full Administrator accounts is vulnerable to some degree,
that degree largely being what you do with it. The OS doesn't matter.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* NEW! Catch my blog ... http://msmvps.com/blogs/rgharper/
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* The Website - http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

 

[Ray]

Running Vista in the Real Built-in Administrator account is just
like running your computer with XP. As long as you have your
usual security programs, (Antivirus, Firewall,
Anti-Spyware/Adware, etc....), and not visit any questionable
websites, you should be just fine.

I suspected that was the case, but the dire warnings accompanying
articles about the subject made me wonder if it was more vulnerable
that what I'm used to. Glad to hear it isn't.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/67567-administrator-account.html

The main security advantage to not using the built-in
Administrator account is UAC (User Account Control). You can read
more on what this is here.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/48893-user-account-control-uac.ht
ml

Thanks for the links; lots of good info on that site. UAC got to be
too annoying, so I turned it off shortly after acquiring a Vista
system. Maybe someday when I'm mostly finished configuring things I'll
turn it back on.

 

[Nick /////]

Thanks for the links; lots of good info on that site. UAC got to be
too annoying, so I turned it off shortly after acquiring a Vista
system. Maybe someday when I'm mostly finished configuring things I'll
turn it back on.

I would suggest that as and when you are more comfortable with Vista you
should try turning UAC back on.

I've run as follows:

1) Enabled the hidden Administrator Account. Have never had a reason to use
it other that comfort in knowing it is there - see 2)
2) Created my user account with administrator privileges
3) Used 2) and lived with UAC from day one

At first UAC drove me crazy, but now it is not so annoying, semi second
nature, and reassuring in that I know when programs are requesting elevated
privileges.

IMHO it is a very good compromise between running a traditional XP user
account with no admin privileges and running XP with full admin control.

Nick /////